rMBP 13" 8GB of RAM?

[KenAFSPC]

Brick and mortar stores have an ultimate build which is every BTO option maxed out. I believe they only do this with the MBA (i7/8GB/512SSD 11/13) and the 15" rMBP (fastest i7/16GB/1TSSD). The 13" rMBP doesn't get a true ultimate build at the brick and mortar, they only carry the 3 versions you see on the online store. This is the case for the iMacs as well, very limited options and I think SSD is online only (iMac).

It looks like Apple may be doing this for the new 13" rMBP.

I want into an Apple Store today to buy the high-end stock model. I said, "give me the high-end model." They started to ring up the 13" 3.1 i7/16/? model for about $500 extra before I clarified what I wanted.

 

[geoelectric]

rMBP 13" 8GB of RAM?

Really? I actually originally tried to get the "ultimate" model before and was told they had none with 16gb period. I was surprised because I was used to them having the high end with max cpu/memory in other models I'd purchased.

Then I realized what the poster above said, that my bto urge was driven more by anxiety than any proven need, and decided to at least audition a base mid-spec for a week or so instead.

 

[kmaute]

Really? I actually originally tried to get the "ultimate" model before and was told they had none with 16gb period. I was surprised because I was used to them having the high end with max cpu/memory in other models I'd purchased.

Then I realized what the poster above said, that my bto urge was driven more by anxiety than any proven need, and decided to at least audition a base mid-spec for a week or so instead.

Just bought a 3.1,16Gb,500Gb MBPr from the Apple store. They may not have them in stock everywhere.

 

[shahin90]

Everyone knows that you can't upgrade the RAM on a rMBP but do you think 8GB will be enough RAM if i was going to keep the laptop over a period of like 4/5 years? Do you think I should upgrade it to 16GB at time of purchase?

I think you should. I just recently bought the 13inch rMBP and I use ubuntu at work as a virtual machine and this way I can assign 8 gigs of ram to ubuntu and run both OSes smoothly.

 

[addictzz]

Hi guys, I plan to buy the new rMBP 13" and I am torn with the RAM decision. My usage will primarily be browsing facebook & youtube using Chrome (mind you that those 2 sites in Chrome are using a lot of RAM resources as I checked on activity monitor), and also music & video editing because I am recording my bass cover and need to upload it to my youtube channel. Oh and I am also using Spotify which, from my experience with my 2009 3GB Mac Pro, seems to use a lot of resources too. I manage to speed up other apps by closing Spotify.

Now if I want to buy the new rMBP 13", which RAM should I get? 8GB or 16GB? Or maybe wait for 1 more year? Hopefully they come up with gold rMBP 13" & 16GB RAM as standard.

Your response are greatly appreciated.

 

[yjchua95]

Hi guys, I plan to buy the new rMBP 13" and I am torn with the RAM decision. My usage will primarily be browsing facebook & youtube using Chrome (mind you that those 2 sites in Chrome are using a lot of RAM resources as I checked on activity monitor), and also music & video editing because I am recording my bass cover and need to upload it to my youtube channel. Oh and I am also using Spotify which, from my experience with my 2009 3GB Mac Pro, seems to use a lot of resources too. I manage to speed up other apps by closing Spotify.

Now if I want to buy the new rMBP 13", which RAM should I get? 8GB or 16GB? Or maybe wait for 1 more year? Hopefully they come up with gold rMBP 13" & 16GB RAM as standard.

Your response are greatly appreciated.

First off, I'd suggest to stop using Chrome. It's a resource hog.

I think the 2.7/8/256 13" rMBP will do you fine. I have a late-2013 13" rMBP (i7/16/512) and even with a Fedora VM running (2GB assigned to it), it doesn't slow down at all and runs really smoothly, with Spotify, Safari, Pages and Photoshop CC doing a light task (it can't even use 8GB of RAM 90% of the time).

Note: The smoothness somewhat becomes a bit rougher when running via the internal display. I'm doing all this in clamshell mode via an external display.

 

[yep-sure]

I have never experienced any sort of slow down on my 8GB/512GB rMBP running Mavericks.

I can run a secondary display, Steam, Safari (with 8 tabs), iTunes, Mail, Notes, Messages, Calendar, iPhoto, WinXP Virtual Machine running a SQL Server, with Memory Pressure hovering around 25-30%.

Yosemite was a different story. Crashes and beach balls just running Safari and iTunes.

 

[addictzz]

First off, I'd suggest to stop using Chrome. It's a resource hog.

I think the 2.7/8/256 13" rMBP will do you fine. I have a late-2013 13" rMBP (i7/16/512) and even with a Fedora VM running (2GB assigned to it), it doesn't slow down at all and runs really smoothly, with Spotify, Safari, Pages and Photoshop CC doing a light task (it can't even use 8GB of RAM 90% of the time).

Note: The smoothness somewhat becomes a bit rougher when running via the internal display. I'm doing all this in clamshell mode via an external display.

Didn't know that Chrome is a resource-hogging app. It's the most convenient browser I use. The feature to duplicate tab and easy word search on google are some that I adore the most. I don't have such issue with Windows OS.

I have never experienced any sort of slow down on my 8GB/512GB rMBP running Mavericks.

I can run a secondary display, Steam, Safari (with 8 tabs), iTunes, Mail, Notes, Messages, Calendar, iPhoto, WinXP Virtual Machine running a SQL Server, with Memory Pressure hovering around 25-30%.

Yosemite was a different story. Crashes and beach balls just running Safari and iTunes.

Is there anyway to downgrade OS from Yosemite to Maverick if we buy a 2015 rMBP? I heard before that newer Mac can't downgrade to older OS.

 

[yjchua95]

Didn't know that Chrome is a resource-hogging app. It's the most convenient browser I use. The feature to duplicate tab and easy word search on google are some that I adore the most. I don't have such issue with Windows OS.




Is there anyway to downgrade OS from Yosemite to Maverick if we buy a 2015 rMBP? I heard before that newer Mac can't downgrade to older OS.

No, you can't downgrade the OS.

Word lookup is also easy in Safari (or any other app in OS X). Just three-finger-tap on the word and its definition will pop up. If on a mouse, just right click the word and click 'Look up definition'.

Typing whatever you want to search directly in the Safari URL bar will also do a Google search straight away.

 

[JHUFrank]

What nonsense.

Totally agree. Most folks could pretty easily run on 2 gigs. Probably 70% of Apple users only do light computer work, some internet, email, printing, stuff like that.
Quite honestly, I could run on 2 gigs most of the time. Webmail, VPN and a couple terminal windows for work. It's only when I get into working with VMs that I need my full 16 gigs of RAM.

 

[addictzz]

No, you can't downgrade the OS.

Word lookup is also easy in Safari (or any other app in OS X). Just three-finger-tap on the word and its definition will pop up. If on a mouse, just right click the word and click 'Look up definition'.

Typing whatever you want to search directly in the Safari URL bar will also do a Google search straight away.

word look up is enabled using 3-fingers tap or force-click. But Chrome has this option which you can right click a word or a phrase and googlea search that word/phrase in new tab. Does safari also have that?

Also, is there any workaround to the crash issue that Yosemite has?

 

[yjchua95]

word look up is enabled using 3-fingers tap or force-click. But Chrome has this option which you can right click a word or a phrase and googlea search that word/phrase in new tab. Does safari also have that?

Also, is there any workaround to the crash issue that Yosemite has?

Yes, it does. Everything that Chrome has, Safari almost always has.

Just highlight the phrase, right click and select Search with Google.

Refer the attachment.

 

[ZBoater]

Brick and mortar stores have an ultimate build which is every BTO option maxed out...

Not in Tampa. They maxed out at 512GB SSD.

 

[cardinalryan]

Just bought a 3.1,16Gb,500Gb MBPr from the Apple store. They may not have them in stock everywhere.

I just bought this exact same config in the Apple Store.